High praise for breakdown maestro Pocock

The Brumbies won 25-18 in a highly physical match in Bloemfontein with Pocock playing a key role in stopping the home side getting any momentum.

"I though David Pocock had a tremendous game," said Larkham. "It's one of the best games I have seen him at the breakdown and his contact work in defence was outstanding.

"I think they [Cheetahs] beat us to the ball a couple of times there, but defensively they did not put too many phases together because our work at the breakdown was good."

Larkham said he was proud with the effort his team put in to beat the Cheetahs, especially after their 11-31 defeat to the Stormers a week earlier.

"We did enough to get through that game. It was a physical game, there were contests across the park and it was a really gutsy effort from the boys.

"There was a lot of physicality out there. At times we probably matched the flair that the Cheetahs had in terms of throwing the ball from side to side. At times I thought our set piece was spot on. 

"The biggest thing we will take out of this game is just the effort the boys put in of game day," Larkham added.